EasyJet faces inquiry over disability policy
EasyJet has defended itself after calls for an inquiry into its policy over disabled passengers.
France’s Transport Minister, Dominique Bussereau, has asked the French civil aviation authority, DGAC, to conduct an investigation into allegations that the airline would not allow disabled passengers to fly without a travel companion.
In a statement on the French transport ministry’s website, Bussereau said the airline should not be allowed to “hide behind safety regulations”.
He said: “It must implement solutions adapted to each case, as most companies do. Otherwise it must be sanctioned with the greatest severity.â€
EasyJet said it operates the same policy as many other European airlines.
Corporate affairs manager Andrew McConnell explained: “European safety regulations require that all passengers are able to evacuate an aircraft within 90 seconds and therefore we require that some passengers with reduced mobility have a travel companion.
“We are already in discussion with the French Government to find a workable solution for our passengers without compromising safety.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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